Gun sales are one of several home occupations allowed under the county's zoning laws. County Administrator Daniel Stuck recommended that the board give Vickrey a permit, noting that county planners found his proposal - to be open by appointment only, two hours a week, selling a gun a month on average - wouldn't harm the neighborhood.

But more than half the residents in Barcroft subdivision signed a petition opposing the permit. At Wednesday's hearing, several neighbors said they would fight any business in the neighborhood because they want to preserve its quiet residential character.

Vickrey and two friends lashed out at opponents, calling them uninformed and malicious. Vickrey even accused his neighbors of breaking federal law by stuffing fliers and petitions in mailboxes rather than mailing them.

An amateur historian, Vickrey collects weapons and other military artifacts and said he wanted the permit so he could get a federal gun dealer's license that would allow him to trade weapons with fellow collectors more easily.

Given the limits Vickrey set on the gun dealing, friend David Kersey asked, "If his application is rejected, who on earth could possibly qualify for this?"

Those arguments persuaded supervisors Sheila Noll and Jere Mills, who voted for the permit.

But Supervisor Albert Meadows warned that if the county granted the permit, "we're going to be opening up a bag of worms in this county for a lot of people to sell guns."

Under questioning from Supervisor Walter Zaremba, Vickrey conceded that he can continue his hobby without a permit, though he'll have to buy and sell through a licensed dealer. That, he said, adds 15 percent or more to the cost of such trades.

Vickrey said he doesn't plan to challenge the county's decision in court. But he noted that he can reapply for a permit in a year.

In the meantime, he said, he plans to continue his hobby.

Hampton, James City County and Poquoson don't allow gun sales in neighborhoods, and Williamsburg and Newport News have restrictions in place that would make residential sales difficult, if not impossible. York officials are considering changing the county's ordinances so gun sales would no longer be allowed in homes.

- Meredith Kruse can be reached at 247-7892 and by e-mail at mkruse@dailypress.com